On June 5, the world celebrates the World Environment Day to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable practices in preserving and promoting the environment. The theme of this year is “Combating Plastic Pollution.” the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) siezes this opportunity to call on countries, regional institutions and international organizations to join efforts to combat plastic pollution, warn against its dangers, encourage the production and distribution of recyclable products, and invest in scientific research to develop sustainable and safe means and mechanisms for the use of plastic.

Given the negative impact of pollution in general, and plastic pollution in particular, on health, society and the economy, ICESCO stresses the importance of mobilizing the international community’s efforts to preserve the environment and biodiversity worldwide, and warn against the scale of this type of pollution.

Indeed, global statistics indicate that more than 20 million tons of plastic are dumped into the world’s rivers and oceans every year, forming microplastics that pose a dangerous threat to the planet and its food chain.

In this context, ICESCO strives to consolidate the culture of environmental protection and recycling in Muslim countries through the development and implementation of programs, projects and workshops that focus on supporting scientific research, technology and innovation in environmental protection. These include workshops to build the capacity of young people and women in the Islamic world in the field of the circular economy, the green economy and the blue economy in order to promote entrepreneurship, training sessions on solid waste recycling and environmental awareness of the dangers of climate change, as well as international conferences and symposia to promote the concept of smart, sustainable and resilient cities.